Melting crankshafts

[airmodel]

Hi everyone

I was running low on scrap cast iron to melt so I dismantled some lawn mower engines and melted the crankshafts, have a look at the video  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVIwU7at7mw" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVIwU7at7mw</a>

[PStechPaul]

Very interesting. You make it look easy, but I'm sure that's from years of practice and learning. I would assume the crankshafts were some sort of alloy, and not just carbon steel, so what do you think the resulting metal is? And do you use further heat treatment to reduce the brittleness and increase strength?

[ths]

Nice looking iron you ended up with. Did you cut it in half on a bandsaw, the clean it on a linisher? Cheers, Hugh.

[Jasonb]

Does the Ferrosilicon make the iron more like a grey iron as I would have thought that crankshafts would have been done with spheroidal iron?

Looks to be a nice pour.

[airmodel]

PStechpaul Crankshafts were cast iron before melting and still cast iron after pouring and I will not heat treat afterwards.

ths Cut it in half with a angle grinder and then put it on a linisher.

Jasonb Ferrosilicon softens cast iron.

[Myrickman]

Always enjoy your posts airmodel. Very informative and clear. Thanks Paul